What's in a Chinese tea name?

If you like Chinese tea as much as I do then you will be aware that there are many funny and pretty crazily named loose leaf teas out there.

Let’s take a look at a few of my favourite ones:

Monkey Picked Oolong: This Oolong tea hasn’t actually been picked by monkeys but the legend surrounding the tea does state that monks used to train monkeys to climb to the top of the wild tea bushes to pick the youngest buds and bring them down. Read more here.

Big Red Robe: Another Oolong tea with a funny name, it is traditionally known as Da Hong Pao but was named big red robe because the original tea bushes were protected throughout the winter by being covered by red robes. You can read more about that tea here.



Iron Goddess of Mercy: Yet again another Oolong tea! This tea is also known as Tie Guan Yin. The name Iron Goddess of Mercy comes from the goddess who gave a tea plant to a monk to reward him for making offerings in and keeping tidy an abandoned temple. You can read more about this tea here.

I love all the different funny Chinese tea names – these are just a few but there are plenty more!
Do you know any more you want to share with me? I’d love to hear from you!

Peace out,
Gary the Tea Freak
xx